Daily Archives: February 6, 2012

Who is God for me? Who am I? What must I do?

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galileeretreat4.web Who is God for me? Who am I? What must I do?

Frank Santucci OMI

On Saturday, August 27th, twenty people had the opportunity to listen to Frank Santucci OMI, speak about St. Eugene, about the Oblates and about the Oblate charism.  All who came certainly knew of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate either through their parish involvement or through years of working in Oblate ministry.  The day had been requested for Associates (and vowed Oblates) who would not be able to take part in the upcoming retreat which would be given by Frank, but was open to lay people from local Oblate parishes. 

Why Do We Hang Around These Oblates?

The morning began as Frank asked all of us “who are you? And why do you hang around these Oblates?”  It would be so easy to tell you that he guided us through the life experiences and forces of Eugene, as well as the founding of the congregation.  But there was much more than that.  Frank shared with us his knowledge of Eugene, how he lived, why he did what he did, his strengths and frailties.  He talked about the Oblate charism being a dream.  Martin Luther King had a dream, Nelson Mandela had a dream and Eugene de Mazenod had a dream.  Eugene’s dream was one that was full of fire and passion; a dream that was a driving force; a dream that became a way of life. 

Who is God for me?  Who am I?  What must I do? 

He talked about “the foundational experience.” Who is God for me?  Who am I?  What must I do?  We were led us through the key elements of spirituality.  Oblation: what gives me life?  Oblation: an action through which the Christian offers him/herself to God.  It is a gift of self.  More than doing it is a way of being.  It means a commitment to spirituality.  It means a way of life.  This Oblate charism which, with the canonization of Eugene, now belongs to the entire church.

Various Ways of Being a Part of the Oblate Family

We learned about the various ways of being a part of the Oblate Family, which he referred to it most often as the Mazenodian Family .  He talked about the priests and brothers, all around the world, about the Honorary Oblates, the Oblate Sisters and the Oblate Associates saying that they are all “co-operators of Christ the Saviour;” about the many people who make up M.A.M.I. around the world, and about the Partners in Mission.  So many ways of living the charism in today’s world; of living God’s call to each of us. We ended the day with the Mazenodian Mass in one of the chapels at Deschatelets.

Teaching Us the Mazenodian Way of Mission

I only wish that I could share with you the richness of that day.  Instead I offer a few comments from some of those who were there.

“I am so grateful to have experienced this session.  For me, it was hearing about the small details of Eugene’s humanity and yet how after his initial conversion he remained faithful to his Saviour’s call to serve the marginalized.  Frank has obviously studied Eugene’s life and letters and has acquired the same zeal and compassion as he teaches us the Mazenodian Way of Mission.”

“Now I know why I am here (in ministry) with the Oblates”.

The Oblates Are Like a Family

Another asked for a copy of St. Eugene’s first homily at the Church of the Madeleine. It spoke so clearly to him, where he is in his life.

“I feel that the charism of the Oblates is because they have the heart of a mother.  Like a mother they reach out to the most helpless, defenceless of God’s children.  I had no knowledge of the Oblates until I became a parishioner at St. Joe’s sixteen years ago.  During these years I became more and more aware of something special about the Oblates.  They were and are just like a family but a happy united family (from my seeing).  It was a mystery to me what was their recipe for this wonderful unity.  Fr. Frank Santucci gave me the insight that the Oblate have the tender warm love of a mother.”

We must lead people to act like human beings

“I like learning more about the life of Eugene de Mazenod and the early history.  And the current picture of Oblates being active in sixty-seven countries, working especially with youth, the poor and women.  But it wasn’t only history and current events.  Father Frank challenged his listeners to live life within the Oblate charism.  ‘We must lead people to act like human beings first of all, and then like Christians, and finally we must help them to become saints.’  It was very encouraging to hear the call to lay people to be involved with the Oblates.  Oblation was presented as a ‘specific way of living our baptism commitment to a spirituality, a way of life.’  The speaker was very informative. In fact, Father Frank was spellbinding.”

Thank you Frank, for sharing with us your love and knowledge of Eugene, your love for all the members of the Mazenodian Family, and for guiding us yet further on our journey together.

The Beautification of the Spanish Martyrs was Moving

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banner.web The Beautification of the Spanish Martyrs was MovingOur John Malazdrewich, OMI, was one of two Canadians who took part in the public ceremonies (December 17 and 18, 2011) that beatified the twenty-two Oblate martyrs and the one lay man from the 1936 civil war in Spain.

Several times John reiterated that what left the deepest impression on him was to be present in the actual Oblate house where the Oblates were held prisoner and to stand in the very room in the basement of the Oblate scholaticate where they were imprisoned.  He stood on the actual ground of their sufferings. With amzement John added, “They were prisoners in their own house!’

The second significant fact was the presence of an elderly Oblate (age 92 or 93) who was a novice at the actual time and personally knew the Oblates who were executed.  He was a living connection with these men who were martyred seventy-five years ago. This connection spoke very deeply to John. This living connection has kept the memory of these martyrs alive through the seven decades.

He attended the beatification as a President of Crocus and as a representative of the OMI  Lacombe Province. “This was a significant event. We do not have a beatification every day.”

People gathered a few days earlier. There were many Oblates from all over the world.  A large number from Spain, a large number from Europe, South Africa, USA and two Canadians. We stayed in the small suburb of Madrid, in the actual house where the prisoners were taken and kept. The house, located in Pozeula, is located at the top of a hill which overlooks the city of Madrid. This was a strategic point for the rebels to control and witness the burning of buildings within the city of Madrid.

malazdrewich3.web The Beautification of the Spanish Martyrs was Moving

John Malazdrewich OMI

In 1936 this was the Oblate Scholasticate but now it includes the Provincial House. “Living in the same house brought us all much closer to the actual event. You could almost feel the presence of these Oblates.”

On the night before the beatification, with a Spanish supper at 9:00 pm, the group travelled to a local parish where there was a production that told the story of the Spanish martyrs. The production told the story through the voice of a child, with a group of singers (in Spanish) and some live actors. This was complemented by the inclusion of a video production.

The actual beatification happened at the Cathedral in Madrid (the building was completed in 1991). This is a magnificent building. The beatification liturgy was very much a Church event with the presence of three cardinals, fourteen bishops, the Diocesan clergy and many Oblates. The procession into the Cathedral was very lengthy.

At the beginning of the beatification Mass the official decree was read. The symbol of the martyr is the palm branch. The family members of the martyrs (nieces  and nephews) carried in thirteen very large palm branches and placed then to commemorate the martydom of their relatives. John remarked several times that “there are still survivors and family members who are actually alive.”

On Sunday, December 18, there was a Mass of  Thanksgiving in the Oblate parish. Fr. Louis Lougen, OMI, presided. One of the families presented a chasuable, made specially for this occasion, to be kept in this Oblate parish in memory of the martyrs.

“This gatherings was an “Oblate family celebration.”  It was down to earth, and had a very strong family feeling to the entire celebration.”

The one layman who was also martyred with the twenty-two Oblates had a grandson who is a priest and a granddaughter who is a nun, (she gave one of the Scripture readings) present at the Oblate, Sunday Mass.

The perservance of the memory of these Oblate martyrs is expressed by the statute of Mary in the house at Pozeula. During the invasion of the scholasticate house the rebels tried to destroy the statue. They tried to smash it and they tried to burn it. Both acts of destruction failed. The statue  has missing fingers on the hands. As the statue of Mary could not be destroyed, may the memory of the Oblate martyrs never be forgotten!